It’s been a week since the Jewlicious Festival ended. I thought some kind of broad recap would be in order and might even prove to be somewhat instructive to those of you out there who are into that sort of thing, like readers of eJewish Philanthropy or the Fundermentalist. Both of those aforementioned blogs deal with issues related to Jewish philanthropy as well as with organizations and projects they fund. Both have also expressed an interest in issues related to youth, innovation and social entrepreneurship - buzz phrases that one often hears uttered by Jewish organizations both large and small.
As far as the Festival goes, it was in almost every respect a smashing success. We had nearly 1000 Jewish students and young adults enjoy a weekend full of fun, food, music and over 120 individual … [Read more...]

Jewlicious...Jumpstart...Limmud...Jewish LA is a busy place these days. For those interested in innovation we had the release of the The 2008 Survey of New Jewish Organizations, the first-ever survey featuring data for understanding the world of Jewish nonprofits in the midst of an economic crisis. Limmud, growing worldwide by leaps and bounds, held their second LA event. And this Friday, the annual three-day gathering, Jewlicious Festival 5.0, largest youth festival of its kind, celebrates its half-decade with a special appearance by Grammy nominated Jewish reggae sensation Matisyahu. If you've never caught the Jewlicious fever before, there is still time to check it out!
Here's more about the recent Limmud from The LA Jewish Journal:
LimmudLA Fills 3 Days and Nights of Doing Jewish … [Read more...]

After much preparation, the international staff of ROI is pleased to announce the launch of their new website ROICommunity.org.
In the words of ROI's program director, Beto Maya:
"The first thing you’ll notice is the name change. From year one, we have been ROI120 - 120 Jewish innovators gathering in Jerusalem to share ideas, gain new skills and inspiration, and move toward impacting the Jewish future. But as our network grew, with about 100 more people every year, we realized that the “120,” while true for the numbers at each individual summit, didn’t remotely describe the network’s reach and potential.
As we prepare to embark upon the fourth annual ROI Summit, it is clear that what we are is the ROI Community - people who have been at previous summits or who have attended local … [Read more...]

The Bronfman Youth Fellowships alumni community congratulates the 18 projects funded through the BYFI Alumni Venture Fund in 2008.
Adashot - A print publication and web-based resource that engages those who have little or no prior knowledge of Jewish texts by using a Talmudic layout to explain commentaries on traditional texts with insight from modern thinkers and secular materials.
Borei Hoshech - An online non-denominational Jewish learning blog exploring depression by analyzing weekday morning prayers and Jewish classical
sources.
Boulder Stepping Stones - A program that provides Jewish education and experiences to interfaith and unaffiliated families with a database of over 1,000 people from across Colorado. Stepping Stones focuses on Friday night Shabbat rituals as a time to … [Read more...]

Chanukah begins Sunday night - are you ready - have you picked your team? You have no idea what I'm taking about?
Well, meet Team SuperJews! Captain Israel, Queen Kabbalah, Judah the Giant, Beth L, Eternal Light, and Mega Mensch.
Still clueless? Check out our previous post, Are You Ready to Be a Hero?, this great video from William Levin, of ROI120, ShaBot 6000 and "Pass the Candle" fame, and join now!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0fdEwOV7wc[/youtube]
One of the major goals of the SuperJews project is "building ties to a new generation of Federation supporters and leaders while they are still young." ColorWars is the initial vehicle the UJC is employing in this endeavor. We believe they are the first large "established" Jewish communal organization to make a concentrated … [Read more...]

It's not yet three months since the PresenTense organization opened their first year-round Jerusalem space - and they are already making a significant impact. As co-founder Aharon Horwitz so eloquently told us at dinner Shabbat eve (see below), not only have they created an all encompassing Hub, but we have all come together to form a community. One that extends across multiple channels and to multiple countries, and certainly here in Jerusalem, across generations. Perhaps...
Community 3.0 - where the evolutionary social stages of Web interaction are leveraged together with face-to-face interactions creating unlimited potential (my definition).
Set smack in the middle of the Angloized world of Emek Refaim, the new Hub is more than just a place for an expansion of their summer fellowship … [Read more...]

If so, listen up.
Team SuperJews is coming to a computer near you!
Team SuperJews - a clandestine unit of Jewish civilian "secret super agents" dedicated to the common cause of helping people in need – is on the way. Team members, recognizable by the signature SJ belt buckle, are recruited for their extraordinary skills and talents, as well as their passionate concern for the welfare of the Jewish people.
Spearheaded by United Jewish Communities and the Jewish Federation system, with an all-star team of partners, they invite you to join their ranks and help change and strengthen the Jewish community by taking part in the debut year of an international event, a Facebook-based Chanukah Color War.
Missions will be online acts of good for the Jewish world – both interesting and fun - none … [Read more...]

"The NextGen is no longer.
They are the NOWGen". So spoke Johanna Arbib, the passionate and dedicated JAFI Board member (representing Keren Hayesod) as she introduced Friday morning's Assembly plenary, Tomorrow Happens Now: The Assembly Hosts the Now Generation.
Emphasizing the time is now, Joanna told us this generation (defined as roughly 25-40) "will lead thru cooperation, collaboration, creativity, energy and global dialogue".
Despite the small number of Assembly registrants in attendance it was an incredibly positive session, complete with small group dialogue, among the three generations represented in the room. A great deal of time was spent discussing the real challenge today for most organizations, the transition in leadership - that what needs to take place is evolutionary, not … [Read more...]

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